# Aurora Reader vs ZenReader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Aurora Reader at none against ZenReader's 4. Aurora Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown). ZenReader's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (82% vs 62%). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ZenReader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. Aurora Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ZenReader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZenReader has 366 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Aurora Reader's written reviews are positive against 82% of ZenReader's.

Aurora Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, ZenReader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 12, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aurora Reader | ZenReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-reader/id1268667713/reviews) | **[4.7 (366 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenreader-read-ebooks-easily/id1660751056/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **366** |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews | **82.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Junyu Kuang](https://appshunter.io/developer/961945907) | [LexyTech Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643712954) |

## What reviewers say

### Aurora Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-reader/id1268667713)

Save, read, and organize articles from the web with a clutter-free reading experience. Look up word definitions, add notes, and listen to articles hands-free. Syncs across devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Save articles from web, Clutter-free reading view, Offline article access, Word definition lookup, Highlighting and note-taking, Article-to-speech functionality, iCloud sync across devices

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### ZenReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenreader-read-ebooks-easily/id1660751056)

This app is a versatile ebook reader and document manager supporting numerous file formats. It offers a customizable reading interface, note-taking capabilities, text-to-speech functionality, and robust library management features. Track your reading progress and protect your privacy with advanced security options.

**Highlights:** Supports EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT, ZIP, RAR, and more, Customizable reading interface with night mode, Note-taking, highlighting, and dictionary integration, Text-to-speech with multiple language options, Wi-Fi transfer, iCloud, and AirDrop import, Gesture and facial recognition for privacy, Reading statistics and goal setting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1年订阅 | $6.99 | per year |
| 限时特惠 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pro专业版 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Pro渠道优惠 | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 📚 Excellent TXT file reading capabilities
- 🔄 Seamless synchronization across Apple devices
- ⚡ Smooth and responsive performance
- 🎨 Beautiful and minimalist design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Text replacement fails intermittently
- 🐛 Chapter segmentation issues and duplicates
- 🐛 File parsing errors on some formats
- 🐛 Screen lock stops audiobook playback
- 🐛 Voice narration changed to Cantonese after iOS 18 update

**Reported bugs**

- Text replacement shows success but reverts after reopening
- Duplicate chapters in segmentation
- File parsing errors on valid documents
- Audiobook stops when screen locks
- Voice narration language changed to Cantonese after iOS 18

**Requested features**

- Simplified audiobook playback controls
- Flexible audiobook starting point selection
- Include audiobook listening time in statistics
- English language UI support
- Direct TXT file editing capability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aurora Reader free?

Aurora Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ZenReader free?

ZenReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Aurora Reader or ZenReader?

ZenReader is rated higher. Aurora Reader averages 4.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while ZenReader averages 4.7 from 366 ratings.

### Do Aurora Reader or ZenReader have ads?

ZenReader shows ads; Aurora Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Aurora Reader or ZenReader?

Aurora Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, and ZenReader every 2 weeks. Most recently, Aurora Reader was updated on August 12, 2026 and ZenReader on September 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*